Mr. Leroy S Jones

I, LeRoy Sylvester Jones Sr., was born in Logan, West Virginia on April 10, 1943 to Henry Cornelius Jones and Mamie Vestie (Cook) Jones. As the 7th of 15 surviving children (6 deceased at birth), I had an eventful childhood. I had an accident when I was 4 years old while climbing an old bed spring to steal tomatoes from our neighbor Mr. Barrett; my friend James “Junior” Bates slipped when the springs broke and kicked me in my left eye. Somehow I was temporarily blinded in both eyes but later regained sight in my right eye. Since I was unable to see, I was unable to start school until I was 8 years old at which time I started the 2nd grade.
I went through school until I was in the 8th grade (14 years old) when my father died. He was a coal miner and died from Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), commonly known as “black lung disease”. This meant that I had to quit school to work to help support our family. After a few years, at age 17, my mother died from diabetes complications. I continued to work to help my older sisters support the younger siblings. When I was a child, I wanted to be a doctor and I also pursued boxing. Because we couldn’t afford to pay anyone to represent me and I didn’t have the education to pursue medicine, at age 18, I moved to Chicago and worked cleaning floors at Robert Sharp Shoes and Clothing store. I later moved to New York living between my uncle’s (mother’s brothers) houses and worked at Waste Fabrics then Taste of Meat Provision Slaughter House where I started washing pots and pans. After watching workers cut and precook meat, I inquired about how to cut and prepare the meat. One of the people spoke to the boss and they bought a set of knives for me and taught me how to cut. After dating, having a child and getting married, I had my 2nd child then later decided to move to Ohio. I held several jobs to make ends meet and eventually landed at Big Bear Stores on Neil Avenue in Columbus Ohio, where I was the first black butcher. I had my 3rd and final child and after leaving Big Bear, I worked at the Ohio Penitentiary and later taught myself and created my own construction business.
As mostly everyone who knows me knows, I loved to sing. My passion to sing, write and play music carried on through the years and I taught myself to play the guitar, although I wouldn’t say that I ever made it to play to my fullest potential. I would have loved to learn to play to the point that I could have made it a profession. I would experience great joy just plucking away at the strings on the guitar but I also loved to write poems and music. This is a past time that I have passed down to my children.
A few fun facts about some of my favorites are:
Color: White/Black, Song: Your Grace and Mercy, Male Singer: Jackie Wilson, Female Singer: Shirley Caesar, Actor: Sidney Poitier, Actress: Della Reece, TV Show: Roy Rogers, Movie: In the Heat of the Night, Country Artist: Kenny Rogers, Country Song: The Gambler, Season: Winter, Time of Day: Morning, Breakfast food: Raisin Bran, Dinner: Beans and Cornbread (fried potatoes), Pet: Dog Trixie, Sport: Boxing, Boxer: Jack Johnson, Car: Rolls Royce
My Greatest Lesson in Life… There will be rough times in life, expect that but just do the best you can. Always give your all.
Although I loved music, it was most important to me to be happy. One of the things that made me the most happiest was to see others smile. I have made, lost and given away money in an attempt to make and keep people smiling. I trusted God to replace any money or material things that I had because I knew other people could benefit from my giving. I made mistakes along the way but I really wanted to be a good person, parent and treat everyone the way I- myself wanted to be treated.
Equally important to me was my family. Those immediate family members that went before me were my mother and father, my daughter Jacqueline Gartrell, my siblings (in birth order) Albert Jones, Ella Mae Jones, Henrietta Aklin, Irene Layne, Robert Lee Jones, Johnnie Jones, and Linda Jones. Those that I leave to carry out my legacy and share memories are my son LeRoy S. Jones Jr., my daughter Stacey L Tidwell (Howard), my siblings Henry “Guy” Jones, Alberta Matthews, Essic Jones, Charles Jones, Brenda Paige, Margaret “Ann” Towns and Mark Jones, several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, church family and close friends.

Visitation 10:00am and Funeral Service 11:00 AM Friday, October 22, 2021 at First Church of Christ, 1911 Oakland Park Ave. Interment at Glen Rest. Ministry of Comfort entrusted to MARLAN J. GARY FUNERAL HOME, THE CHAPEL OF PEACE EAST, 5456 E. Livingston Ave.